Moro rebels to stop surrendering firearms if Bangsamoro law is ‘watered-down’

From Business World (Sep 11): Moro rebels to stop surrendering firearms if Bangsamoro law is ‘watered-down’

 MORO rebel group that signed a peace treaty with the government last year will stop surrendering its firearms should the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law be ‘watered-down.’

All aspects of the normalization process would stop if Congress passes a diluted law, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief negotiator Mohagher Q. Iqbal said in a phone interview on Friday.

“We have this stance because in case of a watered-down law, that would be a violation of all the agreements in the [Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro] and [Framework agreement on the Bangsamoro,” Mr. Iqbal said in mixed English and Filipino.

Earlier this week, the MILF published in an editorial on its website, luwaran.net, saying that the group will desist from continuing with the normalization process, which started earlier this year involving the ceremonial decommissioning of decommissioning of 75 weapons and of 145 Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), the armed contingent of the group, if such a case would arise.

The editorial at the MILF website also explained what would constitute a diluted Bangsamoro law that would lead to an outright rejection from their group.

“Frankly, it is not about how many provisions of the original BBL are deleted, substituted or amended. Just one issue, for instance, the aspect of natural resources, can make the BBL diluted and would force the MILF to reject it,” the editorial read.

In a text message to BusinessWorld, professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process explained that the components of the road map of the peace agreement between the MILF and the Philippine government will naturally be delayed alongside the delays in the passage of a good BBL.

Despite this, the government’s chief peace negotiator said that all the stakeholders involved should stop at nothing in ensuring that peace between the two side will continue despite the difficulties.

“What is important is both parties stay the course of peace. In any case, everyone -- Congress, government, MILF -- should just try to do their part as effectively as they can so that we won’t have to pass the problem on to the next administration and Congress,” she said.

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=moro-rebels-to-stop-surrendering-firearms-if-bangsamoro-law-is-&8216watered-down&8217&id=115155